Shehbaz expected to return in 2nd week of Jan: Sanaullah

Former Punjab law minister meets Maryam Nawaz

LAHORE: PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif will return to Pakistan in the second week of January provided that medical reports of former premier Nawaz Sharif are found satisfactory, said PML-N senior leader Rana Sanaullah.

Shehbaz has been accompanying Nawaz, his elder brother, since November last year when the former flew to London to get medical treatment after the Islamabad High Court granted him interim bail in a corruption case in view of his medical condition.

The long absence of Shehbaz – also leader of opposition in the National Assembly – has set the rumour mills rolling as the PML-N leader is also facing a number of corruption case and is also on bail.

However, Sanaullah told The Express Tribune that Shahbaz is abroad to “take caring for his elder brother and it is only an assumption that he will not return to Pakistan.”

Sanaullah confirmed that he had visited Jati Umra – Sharif family residence – to pay a visit to the PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz.

“It was not a political discussion. Rather it was a lunch in my honour on my return from jail,” he said. Sanaullah was released on bail in the last week of December after six month long incarceration in the wake of his arrest in a narcotics case.

Briefing on the details of the informal gathering, Sanaullah said the discussion revolved around Nawaz Sharif’s health and his case.  The PML-N leader also denied allegation of drugs smuggling and said the case against him was based on political vendetta.

The Anti-Narcotics Force arrested former provincial law minister on July 1, 2019 on allegation possessing 15 kilogramme of heroin. However, the Lahore High Court granted Sanaullah bail on Dec 24, 2019.

According to Sanaullah, Nawaz’s health is unstable despite ongoing medical treatment. “Doctors have advised more tests to ascertain cause of rapid decline in his platelets,” said Sanaullah.

The PML-N Punjab president also met with senior party leaders at residence of Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, former speaker of the National Assembly. During the meeting, reorganization of the Punjab chapter was discussed as current office bearers were not performing due tasks.